Exercise Joint Warrior 2020-2

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
10/13/2020

In an article published by the UK Ministry of Defence on September 28, 2020, the UK role in Exercise Joint Warrior was highlighted.

Taking part will be the Royal Navy’s largest and most powerful warship HMS Queen Elizabeth, taking her place at the heart of a UK-led NATO Carrier Strike Group.

With her will be F-35B stealth jets from the UK and US, training together in UK skies for the first time.

Exercise Joint Warrior, taking place for 11 days off the coast of north west Scotland from next Monday, will feature 11 nations combining an overall contribution of over 6,000 personnel, 81 aircraft, 28 ships and two submarines.

Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey said:

“Allies and adversaries alike will not fail to take note of the powerful new contribution the UK’s Carrier Strike Group offers NATO when it participates in Exercise Joint Warrior next week.

“With US and UK F-35B jets exercising together over our shoes for the first as part of a group featuring 6,000 personnel from 11 nations, this UK-led exercise underlines the leading role we play in upholding European security through NATO.”

NATO Allies taking part in the exercise are the UK, USA, Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Canada, France, Denmark, Norway and Lithuania. NATO Enhanced Opportunity Partner Australia will also contribute.

In order to protect all armed forces personnel and the public, a wide range of mitigations measures have been introduced to reduce the risks posed by the Covid-19 virus.

Exercise Joint Warrior is a UK-led multinational military exercise held twice a year in the spring and autumn that features all three single services of the UK Armed Forces – the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force conducting combined joint operations. It offers a crucial function in training NATO forces for high-readiness deployments on operations, representing a significant pillar of the UK’s leading role in the Alliance.

This autumn’s exercise offers a key step in the development of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) capability. With US Marine Corps F-35B jets and their UK counterparts training embarking on HMS Queen Elizabeth, this is the largest number of aircraft at sea on a British Royal Navy carrier since 1983 and is the largest number of F-35B jets at sea in history. 

On October 5, 2020, the second phase of the exercise commenced.

The second phase of the UK-led Joint Warrior (JW) 20-2 exercise has commenced in the Atlantic Ocean.

The exercise incorporates surface, subsurface, airborne, and land assets in a joint training for Nato units.

It also has a certification of Forward-Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) in order to prepare them to operate as part of a Combined/Joint Task Force.

Task Force (CTF) 65 commander Captain Joseph Gagliano said: “Joint Warrior is our premier venue for recertifying our ships for fleet operations, and the synergy with the Royal Navy could not be better.

“We count on them to keep our ships ready, and they can always count on our commitment to security in this theater.”

The US Navy and US Marine Corps (USMC) will join maritime, land, and air units from allied and partner nations of Nato.

Over 6,000 personnel, 81 aircraft, 28 ships and two submarines from 13 nations will take part in the exercise.

The participating nations are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK, and the US.

This was the first time the Queen Elizabeth carrier led a carrier strike group in an exercise.

The ship has USMC and UK F-35s onboard.

 

IRISH SEA (Oct. 3, 2020) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75),transits the Irish sea, prior to beginning Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, Oct.3, 2020. Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2 is a U.K.-hosted, multilateral training exercise designed to provide NATO and allied forces with a unique multi-warfare environment to prepare for global operations. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Christine Montgomery/released)
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71), not pictured, conducts small boat operations with USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) prior to beginning Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, Oct. 3, 2020. Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2 is a U.K.-hosted, multilateral training exercise designed to provide NATO and allied forces with a unique multi-warfare environment to prepare for global operations. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Christine Montgomery)
Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) conduct small boat operations prior to beginning Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, Oct.3, 2020. 201003-N-TC847-1159-IRISH SEA (Oct. 3, 2020) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) conducts small boat operations with USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) prior to beginning Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, Oct. 3, 2020. Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2 is a U.K.-hosted, multilateral training exercise designed to provide NATO and allied forces with a unique multi-warfare environment to prepare for global operations. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Christine Montgomery/released)
Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) haul gear from a small boat from USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) prior to beginning Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, Oct. 3, 2020. Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2 is a U.K.-hosted, multilateral training exercise designed to provide NATO and allied forces with a unique multi-warfare environment to prepare for global operations. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Christine Montgomery/released)
IRISH SEA (Oct. 3, 2020) Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ross (DDG 71), USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) conduct small boat operations prior to starting Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, Oct. 3, 2020. Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2 is a U.K.-hosted, multilateral training exercise designed to provide NATO and allied forces with a unique multi-warfare environment to prepare for global operations. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Christine Montgomery/released)
Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) conduct small boat operations prior to beginning Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, Oct. 3, 2020. Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2 is a U.K.-hosted, multilateral training exercise designed to provide NATO and allied forces with a unique multi-warfare environment to prepare for global operations. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Christine Montgomery/released)
Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) launch a small boat to conduct operations prior to beginning Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, Oct. 3, 2020. Exercise Joint Warrior 20-2 is a U.K.-hosted, multilateral training exercise designed to provide NATO and allied forces with a unique multi-warfare environment to prepare for global operations. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Christine Montgomery/released)